“Home Life” has an Asian-influenced melody in which John appears to be about wanting a house and a wife and kids, but it’s actually about Mayer’s aversion to phoniness.
[Verse 1]
I think I'm going to stay home
Have myself a home life
Sitting in the slow-mo
And listening to the daylight
I am not a nomad
I am not a rocket man
I was born a house cat
By the slight of my mother's hand
I think I'm going to stay home
[Pre-Chorus]
I want to live in the center of a circle
I want to live on the side of a square
I used to be in my M-Z now
You'll never find me 'cause my name isn't there
[Chorus]
Home life
Been holding out for a home life
My whole life
[Verse 2]
I want to see the end game
I want to learn her last name
Finish on a Friday
And sit in traffic on the highway
See, I refuse to believe
That my life's going to be
Just some string of incompletes
Never to lead me to anything remotely close to a home life
[Chorus]
Been holding out for a home life
My whole life
[Bridge]
I can tell you this much
I will marry just once
And if it doesn't work out
Give her half of my stuff
It's fine with me
We said eternity
And I will go to my grave
With the life that I gave
Not just some melody line
On a radio wave
It dissipates
And soon evaporates
But home life doesn't change (home life doesn't change)
[Pre-Chorus]
I want to live in the center of a circle
I want to live on the side of a square
I'd love to walk to where we both can talk, but
I've got to leave you cause my ride is here
[Chorus]
In my home life
You take the home life
You keep the home life
I'll come back for the home life
I promise
Home life I promise
Life
Home life
Home life
Home Life was written by David LaBruyere & John Mayer.
Home Life was produced by Jack Joseph Puig.
John Mayer released Home Life on Tue Sep 09 2003.
“I even tattooed it on my arms: ‘Home Life,’ as some sort of ‘Thug Life’ alternative.” – Mayer on his ‘Home Life’ tattoo in an interview with NPR.